VegasBeat — Timothy McDarrah: Colosseum looks to Latin theme

Friday, June 27, 2003 | 5:42 a.m.

WEEKEND EDITION

June 28-29, 2003

VegasBeat appears Sunday through Friday in the Las Vegas Sun. Timothy McDarrah can be reached at tim@lasvegassun.com or at (702) 259-4096.

The next superstar performer to fill in at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace when Celine Dion goes on vacation will be Gloria Estefan.

Multiple sources have confirmed to VegasBeat the Cuban-born singer will play Vegas the weekend of Oct. 11.

Several friends of the former voice of the Miami Sound Machine were at the VEGAS Magazine party at the Palms Thursday night and spilled the beans; the mag's publishing partner is Miami Beach's Ocean Drive magazine.

"We have a lot of great people coming in, consistent with our goal of making The Colosseum the best place to see the best acts when they come to Las Vegas," Park Place spokesman Michael Coldwell said Friday.

There was a big survey-type piece in The Boston Globe the other day rating Las Vegas magicians.

The writer, Globe correspondent Jerry Camarillo Dunn Jr., said the best show he saw was Lance Burton's, that he loved Mac King and thought Penn & Teller were "interesting."

His harshest criticism was reserved for Siegfried & Roy.

"I hate Siegfried & Roy," he wrote. Then, after describing some of the show, he conceded, "I don't get it."

Then he complained that "the drinks are weak."

LeBron James knows what time it is.

The top pick in last week's NBA draft and holder of a $90 million Nike contract plans to turn Cleveland, his new basketball home, into ... where else? Las Vegas.

"You come there (Cleveland) this season," the 18-year-old phenom told the assembled media at his first news conference as a professional athlete. "You'll see how glamorous it is. It's going to be a lot better.

"It's going to be lit up like Vegas."

If there is a list, odds are that Las Vegas is on it.

The latest one comes from Match.com, which has Vegas as the nation's Most Flirtatious City. The Least Flirtatious City was Boston. Imagine that.

Boston men were also Least Likely to Give Flowers. Las Vegas came in second in that category, behind Atlanta.

Overall, Las Vegas finished third in the ranking of which cities are the best at giving and receiving love, behind Austin, Texas, and Chicago.

VegasBeat went to The Park the other night.

As of May 1, the former amusement park behind the MGM Grand has been turned into a different kind of corporate events facility.

At first, it sort of seems as if you're entering the set of a movie -- the whole deserted amusement park thing, as depicted in the old Clint Eastwood flick, "Sudden Impact."

But the park proves to be a unique and pleasurable place to toss a party. Sadly, however, there are no more rides, and the memorable skyscraper-bungee drop ride has been dismantled.

"We are positioning it as Las Vegas' premier outdoor event venue," MGM Vice President Richard Harper said.

Carmen Electra and (the former MC) Hammer were shaking it up in the VIP area at Studio 54 (MGM Grand) on Wednesday night ...

Josh and Meital Grantz opened a new branch of their Talulah G boutique on Thursday on South Rampart Boulevard in Summerlin.

Such Las Vegas socialites as Lauren Maccione and Dena duBoef were among the first customers.

Also last week the store was featured in Women's Wear Daily, the fashion industry bible.

Relax, Las Vegas. Robin Leach is out of town this weekend.

He has been hired to host a three-day birthday bash for 84 Lumber founder Joe Hardy at Nemacolin Woodlands, Hardy's palatial retreat in rural southwestern Pennsylvania.

Vegas regular Tony Danza is also part of the entertainment festivities, along with the Doobie Brothers.

The weekend's headliner is Jerry Seinfeld, who will receive a $1 million check for an hour of stand-up.

Now if that isn't encouragement for your child to be the class clown, I don't know what is.